European aerospace leaders ATR, Pratt & Whitney, and Safran Electrical & Power are collaborating on a series of projects under the European Union's Clean Aviation initiative. These projects aim to accelerate the development of low-emission, hybrid-electric regional aircraft, with a goal to demonstrate operational capabilities by 2030 and have aircraft entering service by 2035.
The initiatives, including HERACLES, DEMETRA, PHARES, and OSYRYS, focus on designing sustainable aircraft architectures, validating hybrid-electric propulsion systems, and developing electrical power and thermal management solutions for next-generation regional airliners. ATR plays a central role, leading two of the projects, while Pratt & Whitney Canada is participating for the first time in a Clean Aviation program with its PHARES project.
Marta Sabin Miralles de Imperial from ATR emphasized that these efforts are part of a broader strategy for achieving net-zero emissions in aviation, leveraging technological innovations.
Safran's OSYRYS consortium will develop critical electrical systems to support hybrid-electric architectures, reinforcing the push towards more sustainable regional travel. The collaboration aims to demonstrate these technologies in flight within the next few years.
Pratt & Whitney Canada's president, Maria Della Posta, highlighted the significance of this program for the Canadian aerospace industry and for advancing electrified aircraft systems as part of the company's technology roadmap. As these projects progress into implementation, they are expected to make a substantial impact on aircraft design, certification, and future operations, with the first hybrid-electric aircraft projected to enter service in less than a decade.
